Bryce Harper Pushing for 2028 Olympics
Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper has his eyes set on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The last time baseball was part of the Summer Olympics was for the 2020 Games, which took place in 2021 due to COVID-19. However, it didn’t feature some of the game’s best players to represent the USA and other countries.
The Olympics should feature the best of the best to honor each country and bring more excitement to the sports being played.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is staying open-minded when it comes to the ‘28 Olympics.
The Olympics take place in the second half of the MLB season, which makes it difficult for players and their respective teams to consider representing their countries. Most players around the league would more than likely want the chance to honor their country with hopes of winning gold, but many obstacles stand in their way.
Not only are the Olympics in the middle of the MLB season but there’s also the risk of players getting injured during the Olympic Games and not being available to play for their teams for the rest of the MLB season and playoffs. A similar situation occurred when Mets’ All-Star closer Edwin Diaz suffered a knee injury during the World Baseball Classic in 2023, forcing him to miss the entire 2023 MLB season.
Harper is one of the faces of the MLB and has recently expressed interest in playing for the USA. Other MLB players would also have the opportunity to represent their countries on a global stage.
Participating in a sport in the Olympics could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many people, so they should be given the chance to do so if given the opportunity.
Eligible players to participate in the Olympics are players not on an MLB 40-man roster. This means that free agents, retired players, and prospects not on the 40-man roster are eligible, but many teams block certain prospects to prevent injury. However, it seems like this will change in four years when the Olympics come to the City of Angels.
The logistics of what this would look like remains up in the air. Would the MLB season shut down for a few weeks while the Olympics are happening? Would there be an influx of minor league players to replace the big leaguers who choose to represent their countries? One thing is for certain: the players want to play.
As fans and patriots of our countries, we should want and deserve the best athletes to compete for a few weeks and proudly represent who we are and what we stand for.
It’s encouraging to see Harper and other notable figures come together and give the sport what it deserves.
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